Vermonters join 'topsy-turvy' Democratic convention

A march in downtown Philadelphia during the Democratic National Convention turns into a sit-in.
USA TODAY

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Vermont delegate Laura Simon, a supporter of Sen. Bernie Sanders, stands against the Trans Pacific Partnership trade deal during the first night of the Democratic National Convention on Monday, July 25, 2016.(Photo: APRIL BURBANK/FREE PRESS)Buy Photo

PHILADELPHIA - Vermont's Democratic delegates rose early Monday, eager to represent Bernie Sanders on a national stage, and entered the frenzied, sometimes chaotic world of the Democratic National Convention.

In the opening two hours of the convention, as other Sanders supporters booed presumptive nominee Hillary Clinton and chanted his name on the convention floor — despite Sanders' personal entreaties to refrain from floor protest — the group of Vermonters remained mostly calm in their seats.

The delegates wouldn't see their senator nominated for president, but the convention brought Vermonters a chance to vote on some of the issues closely related to his campaign, including the future role of Democratic superdelegates and a party platform that includes a $15 an hour minimum wage. They also expected to hear directly from Sanders that evening.

First, however, they faced shuttle bus rides through Philadelphia traffic, strict security and long lines.

"Everything is topsy-turvy. This is the first day," Vermont Democratic Party Chairwoman Dottie Deans told Vermont delegates huddled after breakfast in a hotel ballroom. "Patience is going to be absolutely essential."

It was unclear how much patience Sanders delegates would have for the Democratic Party itself, after leaked emails over the weekend showed party leaders discounting Sanders' campaign and questioning his religious faith.

Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz said she planned to resign in the wake of the email scandal.

"Frankly, it's disappointing," Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos said of the emails on Monday morning. Condos, who came to Philadelphia as a superdelegate and planned to cast his vote for Sanders at the convention, added that one or two of the emails that had been reported were "absolutely horrible."

"That kind of leak is all part of this political revolution," said Kit Andrews, a Sanders supporter and alternate delegate from Burlington. "It exposes that things in the Democratic Party have not been done in a grassroots democratic way."

Even before the leak, some Vermont delegates had hoped to limit the influence of party insiders on future presidential elections by cutting the number of superdelegates, the Democratic leaders who can support any candidate regardless of the popular vote in their states.

A rules proposal approved on the Democratic National Convention floor on Monday reduced the number of superdelegates by about two-thirds in the 2020 Democratic presidential primaries. Sanders has called for an end to superdelegates, and the plan was a compromise.

"We believe that this is a victory," said Anthony Iarrapino, a member of the rules committee from Vermont who worked on the superdelegate proposal. "It's important for people to know there was no scenario in which superdelegates would go away for this convention, for this vote."

Tim Jerman, a superdelegate and state representative from Essex Junction, supported the idea of limiting superdelegates. "It's a good start," Jerman said of the proposal.

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Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos, center, listens during the first night of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia on July 25, 2016. The Vermont delegation was mostly quiet when presumptive nominee Hillary Clinton's name was mentioned.(Photo: APRIL BURBANK/FREE PRESS)

In addition to the rules change, Democrats also approved a party platform Monday evening.

"There was a lot of backdoor vetting and negotiating between the two campaigns to try to find common ground on things like the minimum wage," said Heather Gautney, a member of the national Democratic platform committee from Vermont. She argued the platform represented "unity" between Sanders and Clinton despite issues she considered unresolved, such as the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal.

Opponents to the Trans-Pacific Partnership, many of them wearing Sanders shirts or buttons, were among the loudest voices and most visible demonstrators on the convention's opening night.

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Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., speaks to the Democratic delegations from Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine at breakfast on Wednesday, July 27, 2016, the morning after Hillary Clinton won the presidential nomination. APRIL BURBANK/FREE PRESS

Former Vermont Gov. Madeleine Kunin addresses Democratic delegates from Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine at a hotel outside of Philadelphia on Wednesday, July 27, 2016, the day after Sen. Bernie Sanders ended his presidential bid and Hillary Clinton became the Democratic nominee. APRIL BURBANK/FREE PRESS

Protesters who support Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., stormed the media filing center after Hillary Clinton officially became the Democratic Party's nominee for president Tuesday, July 26, 2016, in Philadelphia. Sanders endorsed Clinton and asked his supporters not to protest. APRIL BURBANK/FREE PRESS

Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin pats the back of Sen. Bernie Sanders after Sanders called for all Democratic National Convention delegate votes to go to Hillary Clinton on Tuesday, July 26, 2016. Shumlin was a superdelegate at the convention who supported Clinton. APRIL BURBANK/FREE PRESS

Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., center, stands with Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., and other Vermont politicians at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia on July 26, 2016, just before Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., moved to nominate Hillary Clinton for president. APRIL BURBANK/FREE PRESS

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders stands alongside his wife, Jane O'Meara Sanders, after being formally placed in nomination for president at the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday, July 26, 2016. APRIL BURBANK/FREE PRESS

Billi Gosh, left and Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos stand with the Vermont delegation on the second evening of the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday, July 26, 2016. APRIL BURBANK/FREE PRESS

Opponents of presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton continue to demonstrate at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia on Tuesday, July 26, 2016. APRIL BURBANK/FREE PRESS

Richard Cassidy, center, and other members of Vermont's delegation to the Democratic National Convention pictured Monday, July 25, 2016. U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., spoke later that evening. APRIL BURBANK/FREE PRESS

An attendee at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia displays a "Stronger Together" sign altered to read "Stop her" on the first night of the convention, Monday, July 25, 2016. APRIL BURBANK/FREE PRESS

U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., wait for the third member of Vermont's congressional delegation, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., to address the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia on Monday, July 26, 2016. APRIL BURBANK/.FREE PRESS

Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos, center, listens during the first night of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia on July 25, 2016. The Vermont delegation was mostly quiet when presumptive nominee Hillary Clinton's name was mentioned. APRIL BURBANK/FREE PRESS

Vermont delegate Laura Simon, a supporter of Sen. Bernie Sanders, stands against the Trans Pacific Partnership trade deal during the first night of the Democratic National Convention on Monday, July 25, 2016. APRIL BURBANK/FREE PRESS

Supporters of Sen. Bernie Sanders stand in protest of the proposed Trans Pacific Partnership trade deal during the first night of the Democratic National Convention on Monday, July 25, 2016. APRIL BURBANK/FREE PRESS

Heather Gautney, a member of the national Democratic platform committee from Vermont, speaks to delegates on Monday morning at the first day of the Democratic National Convention. APRIL BURBANK/FREE PRESS

Tim Jerman, a Vermont state representative from Essex Junction and a superdelegate at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, applauds at a hotel breakfast Monday morning during a speech about reducing the role of superdelegates in the presidential nominating process. APRIL BURBANK/FREE PRESS

Democratic delegates from Vermont huddle for instructions at a hotel Monday morning as they prepare for the first day of the Democratic National Convention, expecting to hear a speech by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders later in the day. APRIL BURBANK/FREE PRESS